Pat PorterWith an unremarkable personal best of 4:29 in the mile in high school, Porter was not heavily recruited to run in college. After graduating from Adams State College in 1982 with a degree in marketing, Porter became one of the most dominant U.S distance runners of the 1980s as a result of training under Joe Vigil. Porter was a two time U.S. Olympian, running the 10K at the 1984 and 1988 Olympic Games. However, he is best known for winning a record eight consecutive U.S.A. Cross Country Championships from 1982 to 1989. Porter also represented the U.S. at the World Cross Country Championships from 1982 to 1989. His best finish at the World Championships of Cross Country was 4th in 1984, followed by 6th, 7th, 9th and 10th place finishes throughout his career. In 1983, he set the World Record for the road 10K at 27:31.8. In 1985, he won the silver medal at the World Cup of Athletics in Canberra, Australia, getting beaten at the tape by Ethiopia's Wodajo Bulti by 6/100 of a second. In 1998, Pat Porter played Finnish distance runner Lasse Viren in Without Limits, a biographical film about American distance legend Steve Prefontaine.

Alberto SalazarOriginally from Cuba, Salazar ran and won his first New York City Marathon in 1980. At the time it was the fastest marathon debut in history. In 1981, Salazar broke a 12-year old world marathon record at New York with a time of 2:08:13. His third and final New York City Marathon was in 1982, which would be the last American victory in that race.

In 1982, Salazar beat Dick Beardsley at the 1982 Boston Marathon, a race that was considered the most memorable battle in the history of the Boston Marathon. From the beginning they ran together, each leading at different points throughout the course. The last mile was a battle for the finish with Salazar outkicking Beardsley for the victory.

Throughout his career, he set six U.S. records and one world record. After a long absence from the sport to focus on his health, Salazar returned in 1994 to compete as an ultra-marathoner. He won the world Comrades Marathon, a 53-mile race from Durban to Pietermaritzburg, South Africa.

Max TreuxIn 1957, he won the NCAA cross country championship while running for USC and also set an American record in the 5,000 meters. He won the 10,000 meters race in the National AAU championships in 1956 and 1959. His earned a place1956 U.S. Olympic team, but was unable to compete in the games because of a leg injury.

He continued to run as a member of the U. S. Air Force after graduation from USC. He was awarded a spot on the 1960 U. S. Olympic team and competed in the 10,000 meters in Rome. He was the only U.S. runner to qualify for the 10,000 finals where he raced against 19 of the world's top runners in the event. He finished sixth and set an American record. At 5-foot-5, Truex was the smallest athlete to ever represent the United States in track and field in the Olympics. He was named Warsaw's Man of the Year in 1960 at the age of 24. He remains the youngest individual to ever win the award.

1991

Barry BrownHe was the fastest U.S. Masters marathoner for more than 15 years (2:15:15 at Twin Cities in 1984). Before that, he was an outstanding track and cross-country, and one of the founding figures in the Florida Track Club. He and his son Darren both ran sub-four-minute miles, a generation apart.

Lynn JenningsJennings was the first female on her high school's all-male track team. From her sophomore year until graduation, Jennings was ranked number one on her team and third overall in the league. She continued to run in college as part of the Princeton University track team, but struggled to keep up in school and stick to a rigorous practice schedule. She quit running several times out of frustration.

In 1984, she was inspired to resurrect her career while watching Joan Benoit Samuelson win the Olympic Gold medal in the first women's marathon to be included in the Olympic Games. She had trained alongside Samuelson as part of the Liberty Athletic Club, and Jennings had beaten her several times in competitive races. At that moment, She recommitted herself to the sport and trained her way into the 1988 Olympic Games, where she finished sixth in the 10,000 meter event.

Jennings then went on to win nine U.S. cross-country championships and an Olympic Bronze medal in the 10,000 meters in Barcelona in 1992. She holds the American record for the 10,000 meters, the American indoor record for the 5,000 and 3,000 meters, and the American road records in the 5K and 10K distances.

Fred LebowAn avid road runner, Lebow founded the the New York City Marathon. He transformed the marathong from a small race with 55 finishers in 1970 to one of the largest marathons in the world with over 36,544 finishers in 2004.

He ran in the inaugural NYC marathon in 1970, finishing 45th out of 55 runners with a time of 4:12:09. In 1992, he ran his last NYC Marathon, in celebration of his 60th birthday, after being diagnosed with brain cancer in early 1990. His finished in 5:32:35.During his career Lebow completed 69 marathons in 30 countries. In addition to the NYC Marathon, he also organized the Empire State Building Run Up, the Fifth Avenue Mile, and the Crazy Legs Mini Marathon, the first strictly women's race. Lebow also served as president of the New York Road Runners Club for twenty years.

1992

Jeff Darman He was active as a high school Cross Country runner, After high school graduation, Jeff stopped running and became a three pack a day smoker until he neared 30 and decided a lifestyle change was needed. So he got involved with the DC Road Runners Club and was inspired by the DCRR president of the time, Gar Williams, to get more involved with the RRCA. When Darman got involved with the RRCA they were battling with the AAU over athletes? rights. Darman lobbied and testified before Congress on The Amateur Sports Act, groundbreaking legislation that changed the landscape for professional and amateur running in the United States.

Darman served at the RRCA president from 1977-1979 and during that time he was actively involved in the engaging women in leadership roles in running and working to provide more running opportunities for women.

Darman has directed prestigious races including the Credit Union Cherry Blossom, Nike Women?s Race, and he still directs the ACLI Capital Challenge. Darmans PR and marketing clients have included; Avon, Moving Comfort, Nike, Running Times, Perrier and many more. Darman has also served on many committees and boards of running organizations including Professional Road Racing Organization (PRRO) and USA Track & Field (board member).

Jeff GallowayThe author of more than a dozen books on running, he ran the 10,000 M in the 1972 Olympics and was also an alternate on the marathon team. He runs the Galloway Marathon Program, which takes place in more than 40 cities. This low-mileage program consists of two 30- to 45-minute runs per week and a longer run/walk on the weekend using Jeff's run-walk-run method, putting the marathon within reach of almost everyone. He has coached more than 200,000 runners and walkers to their goals.

An All-American runner at Wesleyan University who earned an M.S. in social studies from Florida State University, Galloway has developed clinics to NASA astronauts, Vice President Al Gore and a variety of North American corporations. He also served on the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games, designing a heritage program to bring the Olympic excitement and fitness into area schools. As a race organizer, Jeff initiated the Kaiser Permanente Corporate Run/Walk, one of the largest corporate fitness events in the country with a registration of more than 20,000 participants.

Ted HaydonHe was a former Olympic coach who founded the University of Chicago Track Club. Mr. Haydon, who was inducted into the National Track and Field Hall of Fame, was a coach with the U.S. Olympic teams in 1968 and 1972, and for the Pan American Games in 1963 and 1979.

Jack BachelerAfter running at Miami of Ohio, he ran for the Florida TC. He was also a member of the 1968 and 1972 Olympic teams. Bacheler was AAU 10K champion in 1969 and 1970 and the cross country champion in 1969.

Norm GreenHe ran a 2:25:51 marathon at age 52 and a 2:27:42 at age 55, making him the oldest American to break 2:30. He also clocked 32:09 for 10K, 1:05:50 for 20K, and 1:09:30 for a half marathon during his 50s. Green was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1995. He returned to racing in 1997 after treatment, but did very little racing over the next seven years because of injuries.

Mary Decker SlaneyAffectionately known as ?Little Mary Decker" because she wore pigtails and braces when at 14-years-old and 89 lbs. she set her first American record. Following a heartbreaking Olympics in 1984, the now Mary Slaney persevered in 1985, establishing a world record in the mile and setting five American records, thus becoming the first athlete to hold every American record from 800 meters to 10,000 meters; a range of excellence unparalleled in the history of track and field. She culminated her undefeated season by capturing the IAAF Grand Prix as the top female athlete in the world.

1994

Julie BrownAt the age of eighteen, Julie Brown held the national high school record in the 800-meter distance. She was the first woman to earn an athletic scholarship to UCLA for cross-country running. While at UCLA she earned a Broderick Award for Outstanding Collegiate Athlete in Track and Field and cross-country. She went on to pursue a post-collegiate career in running. In 1975, Brown was crowned the world's cross-country champion. She went on to try out for the United States Olympic team in the 1980 squad, but was unable to compete when the United States boycotted the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow, Russia.

She won the 1983 Avon International Marathon in Los Angeles with a personal best of 2:26:26. The Los Angeles Marathon proved to be a great stepping stone in Brown's pursuit of her Olympic dream because a year later, in 1984, she again became a United States Olympic Team member this time as a marathon runner in the inaugural women's marathon at the Los Angeles Games. Unfortunately, she struggled with mononucleosis during the competition and finished 32nd.

Brown retired from running in the late '80s to pursue a career in law. Her running accomplishments include an IAAF world cross-country championship; former world and American records in the 5,000 and 10,000 meters; and thirteen national titles in track and field and cross-country. In addition, she is ranked the second all-time USA marathon runner.

Amby BurfootAlthough he was the 1968 Boston Marathon Champion, Burfoot ran his fastest marathon in 1968 at Fukuoka, Japan, with a time of 2:14:28.8. He attended Weslyan University in Middletown, Connecticut, where he ran cross-country. After winning Boston, he turned his attention toward the 1968 Olympics, but suffered a calf injury that ended his Olympic hopes.

Marion IrvineIrvine qualified for the Olympic trials by running a 2:51:01 at age 54, in a run that forever changed perceptions about athletic capabilities of older women. Dubbed "The Flying Nun," she was already garnering national attention for records such as the first sub-20 minute 5-kilometer, sub-38 minute 10K, and sub-three hour marathon (2:59:55) by a woman over 50.

In the weeks leading up to the Trials, Irvine appeared on "Today" and "Good Morning, America" national talk shows and was featured in "Sports Illustrated" and "Time" magazines. On May 12, 1984, Irvine ran a brilliant 2:52:02, just missing the Olympics but besting many far younger competitors.

She continued to set records in the 55-59 and 60-64 age divisions. Although Larkspur's Shirley Matson, 11 years younger, would ultimately take down all these records, Irvine's marks remain high on the national list.

1995

Ann TrasonShe broke twenty world records during her career as an ultramarathoner. The rugged Western States 100 Mile is the biggest and most well known ultra in the USA. The event is stamped with her accomplishments. For ten consecutive years she won the women's division, and in two of those races she finished second overall. As if that were not challenge and accomplishment enough, she twice dominated the Western States, with some 30,000 feet of elevation change, snow at the high altitude start and baking furnace like conditions in the canyons, less than two weeks after winning the prestigious 56-mile Comrades ultra in South Africa.

George YoungHe was the first American to compete in running events at four Olympic Games. In his first three Olympics ('60, '64, '68), George competed in the steeplechase, winning a bronze medal in Mexico City. He also ran in the Olympic marathon in 1968. In 1972, he competed at 5000m. In total, his competitive career spanned an impressive 25 years. George demonstrated his versatility by setting American Records at each track distance he contested. He broke the steeplechase record three times, and the 2 mile and 5000m once each. George established a Mt. SAC steeplechase meet record each time he contested the event. In 1972, in preparation for the Olympic Trials, he moved up to 5000m at Mt. SAC, and won there as well.

1996

Ed EyestoneHe earned 10 All-American honors and four NCAA championships at BYU. Eyestone then went on to work as the head cross-country and assistant track and field coach for BYU 15 years later.During that his senior year Eyestone set the NCAA 10,000 meter record that stood for almost 20 years until Dathan Ritzenhein broke it in 2004. After College, he ran the marathon in the 1988 and 1992 Olympics with a best finish of 13th. He coached at Weber State before returning to BYU where he has coached two national champions.Jerry KokeshHe is the Media/Marketing Manager for the US Biathlon Association. Kokesh has worked in sports administration since 1973 and in various capacities for the U.S. Biathlon Team since 1988. He was President of the Road Runners Club of America for six years and a member of the RRCA board for 19 years.

Pete PfitzingerPfitzinger ran a 9:33 two-mile at the age of 15, he knew that distance running was a pursuit worthy of a lifetime of personal dedication. As he rose through the national and international marathoning ranks in the 1980's, he began coaching other runners. He competed in two Olympic marathons before returning to college to study exercise physiology in order to better understand the subtleties of bodily adaptations to training.

1997

Kim JonesOne of two Americans to finish five marathons in less 2 hours, 30 minutes, she has 17 finishes less than 2:33. Highlights of Jones's career include three top three finishes in Boston (second in 1991 and '93), runner-ups in New York ('89) and Berlin ('91) and still-standing records in the 30K (1:47:41) and 20-mile (1:55:29).

Jon SinclairHis career as a runner is characterized by consistency and longevity, with more wins and placings than any other male runner in modern road racing history. In addition to being the all time cumulative men's point leader in the Runner's World rankings, he is a former USA National Cross Country and 10,000 meter champion and an Olympic Trials finalist in the 5000 meters. He has represented the U.S. on numerous national teams.

1998

Benji DurdenDurden established himself during the early '80s at the height of the running boom. He ran the marathon in the 1980 Summer Olympics and placed second.With a personal record of 2:09:57, Durden recorded 25 sub-2:20 marathons in less than a decade. He ranked among the top ten U.S. marathoners six straight years, reaching seventh in the world in 1982. He went on to coach elite runners.

Doug KurtisHe was one the most prolific and ubiquitous marathoners in the 80?s and 90?s. Piling up 76 sub 2:20?s and 40 victories, several as a master runner. His successes crossed almost every continent, including victories in Bangkok and Barcelona as well as at home (six straight in Detroit).

His running career didn?t end on the roads. As an event director, he jump started three major races in Detroit. The Free Press Marathon, Turkey Trot and Corktown races have now tripled their attendance under his guidance. During seven of those years he also found the time to write a weekly running column, coach three athletes who qualified for the Olympic Marathon Trials and still volunteered support on several local running clubs.

1999

Gerry LindgrenIn 1964, in his senior year of high school, Lindgren ran 5000 meters in 13 minutes and 44 seconds, setting a U.S. high school record for the distance that would remain unbroken for 40 years. Among his other records he established that year was his time of 8:40.0 in an indoor 2-mile (3.2 km) race that shattered the previous U.S. national high school mark. Over forty years later this remains the fastest U.S. schoolboy 2-mile (3.2 km) time ever run indoors (and the third fastest time indoors or outdoors).

In 1964, he won the 10,000 meter event in the US-USSR Track Meet in Los Angeles.He finished ninth in the 10,000 meters in the 1964 Summer Olympics after having sprained an ankle during training. Four years later, he tried to make the 1968 Olympic team but finished 5th in the 10,000 meters and 4th in the 5,000 meters in the Olympic Trials, just missing the team at both distances.

Lindgren also set co-World record in the 6-mile (9.7 km) of 27:11.6. While at Washington State, Lindgren won 11 NCAA Championships, losing only to Jim Ryun in the 1968 indoor two-mile race.He was one of only two people to ever defeat Steve Prefontaine in an NCAA Championship. He competed sporadically after graduating from college but without any notable success. He continues to run regularly, active in the Hawaii running community. He coached the University of Hawaii's women's track and field team 2005-2007.Tony SandovalHe is best known for winning the 1980 U.S. Olympic Marathon trials, Sandoval was among 466 Americans in 24 sports unable to compete in that
year's Summer Olympics because the United States led a boycott of the
Moscow Games to protest Soviet intervention in Afghanistan. He placed fourth with a 2:14:58 in the 1976 trials in his first attempt to make the Olympic team. He place 15th in the Boston Marathon in 1979. He and Jeff Wells tied with a 2:10:20 later in 1979. He failed to make the Olympic Team in 1984 and 1988 before popping an Achilles tendon at mile eight in the 1992 Olympic Trials. Sandoval continued to run for fitness as he completed his medical
studies and became a cardiologist, tending mostly to New Mexico's poor.